Taming the Beast Within
by DeadManHBK
Summary: Stanley finds the perfect 'centerpiece' for his underwater garden, but there is one problem: he is finding it difficult to drown her. Will he go through with it, or not? Cabing By The Lake / Judd Nelson FanFic
1. Chapter 1

**I don't know what it is, but Judd's character Stanley Caldwell intrigues me. I have always thought that deep down, there was a different side to him than just 'serial killer', and this story is the end result of what I see Stanley's true nature as being. Hope you all enjoy it. :)**

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Stanley stared down at the young girl he had brought back to his cabin, studying her closely. She had intrigued him from the very first time he saw her. Normally, it was strong-willed girls who he knew would put up one hell of a fight that he went for, but there was something else about this one that drew him in immediately. And those looks – never before had he seen a more beautiful creature than she. Her thick, chocolate brown hair was long, perfectly straight, and soft to the touch. Kneeling next to her, he lightly ran a finger down the bridge of her small, upturned nose, and traced the outline of her full pouty lips. He could see her eyes moving around beneath her eyelids, and noticed the way her long, thick eyelashes brushed her high cheekbones. It really was a shame his plan didn't quite turn out like he had planned:

"_Can I help you, sir?" a soft voice behind Stanley said._

_He turned around, and found a young woman standing there by him, looking up at him with a sweet smile. "Pardon?" he asked._

_Her smile widened, and she gave a slight giggle. "I had asked if there is anything I can help you with? Is there a certain artist, or perhaps a particular album you are looking for?"_

_Not wanting her to leave just yet, he said, "Yes, there is, actually. I've been trying to find this old band I used to listen to when I was younger, but I can't seem to recall their name. I never have been good at remembering those sorts of things."_

_She smiled at this. "Okay, well do you remember a name of one of their songs, or maybe the name of one of their records?" she asked._

_Stanley thought hard, trying desperately to think up the name of some old song he knew. "I think one of their songs was called…Desperado, maybe?" he finally said, hoping he sounded convincing enough to fool her._

"_And you said it was an older band?"_

"_Yes ma'am."_

"_Hmm…well the first group that comes to my mind is The Eagles. Does that maybe ring a bell to you?" she suggested._

_Stanley appeared to think. "You know, that does sound pretty familiar. Do you have anything here by them?"_

"_Oh, absolutely. Here, follow me," she replied, and led him over to one of the other racks of CDs they had there in the store. "You know, they're a personal favorite of mine," she commented as she searched through the E section._

"_Really?" Stanley added. "Aren't they a little before your time?"_

_The young girl smirked at this. "Just because they were before my time, that doesn't mean I haven't heard of them. I happen to be a fan of that particular era of music," she replied, and finally found what she was looking for. "Did you want a certain CD of theirs? Or maybe just a greatest hits album?"_

"_What would you recommend?"_

"_What would I recommend?" she echoed, and he nodded. She quickly scanned the selection they had, and finally lifted up a four-disc set. "I personally would recommend this. It's a little more than what some may want to pay, but if you are a fan of them, then you will really like this compilation."_

"_And just how much is it?"_

"_Well, considering it does have four discs to it, and it wasn't too long ago that it came out, it runs at about forty dollars. But you're in luck! This just so happens to be a used one, so it's only thirty," she informed him, and held it out to him. "If you don't want to pay that much, however, I can recommend something cheaper."_

"_No, you know what? I think I will buy this," he replied, and took the case from her. "You're a very persuasive salesperson, … I'm sorry, I never caught your name."_

"_It's Sunny," she said, and flashed another smile._

"_Well, Sunny, thank you for all your help," Stanley replied with a smirk, and winked before walking over to the cash register to purchase the item._

_Once he was out of the store, he got into his van, and waited patiently until one by one the workers started walking out. He kept a close watch for his pretty little brunette, each minute going by painfully slow, until he finally saw her walk out with who was clearly the manager, and watched her head over to her car. Luckily, everyone else drove off right away like a bat out of hell, while Sunny took her dear sweet time. _"It's just you and me, sweetheart," _Stanley thought to himself, and waited until she had pulled out of the parking lot to follow her. He maintained a close distance behind her, but not so close as to draw suspicions. When the time was right, he leisurely passed her, and turned back into her lane right in front of her. He waited a couple more seconds, and then quickly put on his brakes. Instead of the normal squeal of tires, followed by a hard tap against the back of his van, Stanley was greeted to a hard shove, and the sound of crunching metal as her car hit his with the full force of the speed she had been going. He knew there would be some major damage, but that was the last thing on his mind as he started up his barking dogs tape and got out of his car. "Miss, are you-" he started to say, but stopped when he saw her. She was slumped over her steering wheel, and smoke was pouring from the front of her car. She had hit him harder than he realized. "Miss?" he said as he got closer to her, and pushed her hair back from her face. Blood was pouring down her forehead, and he could immediately tell she was out cold. _"Oh shit. Should I just leave her? Or should I bring her along anyway?" _he thought to himself as he looked down at her. He looked around, and was relieved when he saw no buildings or houses around them. He decided it would be best to just take her along, and undid her seatbelt before lifting her out of the car. At one point, she started to mumble incoherently, but Stanley shushed her, and her head fell against his shoulder as she once more grew silent. Lying her down in the back of his van, he got back behind the wheel, and let out a sigh of relief when his van started up. Reaching over, he grabbed one of the discs from the set of CDs he had just bought, and put it in the CD player before driving back home._

It had been nearly a day, and still the girl was out like a light. Stanley was beginning to wonder if maybe this was a mistake. There was no way he could provide her with the medical attention she would need if her injuries were severe. What if she never woke up? What if she ended up dying right here on this mattress? Then what would be the point of taking her out to the lake? It just would not be the same without having her conscious throughout it all.

Going over to the sink, he ran a washcloth under the cold water, and rung it out well before walking back over to her. Squatting back down next to her, he gently dabbed her forehead, careful to avoid both the large, nasty bruise and painful looking gash in the middle of her forehead. Her eyes once again rolled around beneath her eyelids, and he was brought back when they suddenly fluttered open. She blinked a couple times, and looked around the room, before her gaze fell on him. It was difficult for him to look her directly in the eye. Those large, bright emerald orbs sucked him in, and nearly took away all the power he had over her. "Where am I?" she whispered with a frown, and closed her eyes as she grabbed her head.

"Would you like some medicine for your head?" he asked, avoiding her question, and walked out of the room when she nodded. He came back in with some pills, and a bottle of water. "Here, sit up," he said as he helped her to a sitting position, and gave her the pills. "Better?"

She nodded, and looked back over at him. With a brought back expression, she commented, "Do I know you?"

He figured she would recognize him. "Not quite."

"I get the feeling I've met you before, but I don't know why," she said, partially to herself, and grabbed her head. "How did I get here?"

"You were in a bad wreck, so I took you in to take care of you."

"Well, I thank you for that, but now if you'll excuse me"- she started to say, when she suddenly noticed the large shackle attached to her one ankle. She slowly looked back over at him, and asked in a whisper, "Why is this on me?"

"It's best if you don't know," Stanley replied simply. Standing up, he added, "In a while I'll draw you a bath, but for now, I think you better get some rest."

"Hey, wait!" Sunny called out as he walked away, but he shut the door behind himself without giving so much as a glance back at her. Confused, scared, and in pain, Sunny drew her knees up to her chin as her tears slowly slid down her cheeks.

Stanley looked in at Sunny from the two-way mirror, and watched her as she silently wept. Something about this wasn't settling right with him this time. Maybe it was because she had gotten hurt. Or maybe it was the fact that she clearly wasn't angry with him. _"Don't let yourself get weak now, Stanley. She's just another girl, no special or different than the others. You brought her here for a reason, and that was to complete your garden,"_ he thought to himself. He could imagine how she would look underwater, her luscious hair flowing gracefully around her face, the white dress he had picked out for her billowing softly around her, and those big eyes permanently opened wide with a vacant look within them. A lazy smile came to his face as he imagined her struggles, and the sound of her sweet voice begging for her life as he dragged her out to the water. She would make the perfect centerpiece for his garden.

Knowing she had to be hungry, Stanley headed into his kitchen to prepare a meal and a fresh bottle of water for her. He then also grabbed the bag he kept her robe in, and carried them into the room to her. When he entered her room, she simply looked up at him, nothing but sadness on her face. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he sat her food down by her.

Sunny looked down at the floor. "Why does it matter?"

"Because you're clearly hurt, and I want to help you get better."

She shook her head. "It's not like you care whether or not I'm hurting," she muttered.

Stanley gently but firmly forced her to look up at him. "If I wanted to see you suffer, trust me – you would know it by now. Understand?" Sunny swallowed, and slowly nodded her head. "I want you to put this on, and place your clothes in this bag so I can wash them. Once you finish eating, I'll draw you a bath," he added as he stood up, and once more left the room.

As she ate her food, Sunny tried to make sense of this whole situation. Why was she here? Why did he have her chained up? And how did she get hurt? The last thing she remembered was leaving work. Did he plan on hurting her? It was this that truly had her confused. She felt like he meant it when he said he didn't want to see her suffer, but at the same time she felt there was something false about this statement. She didn't know what to think of all of this. Just as she finished eating, the door opened, and he once more walked into the room. "All finished?" he asked, and she nodded. "Do you need more medicine for your head?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine for now," she said quietly.

"Well, then let's get you a bath. I'm sure you're sore, and that warm water will help," he replied, and went to undo the shackle, when he stopped and looked up at her. "I trust you, Sunny. And it is because of that trust that I am willing to do this. Do not make me regret it, because I promise you, you will not like the consequences. Have I made myself clear?"

Sunny quickly nodded, and he finally freed her from her constraints. He then helped he stand up, and she was caught off guard when he blindfolded her. She panicked for a moment, but calmed down at the feel of his strong arm around her, guiding her, and she tightly held onto him the entire time. Finally, he stopped and removed her blindfold before taking his place in the chair sitting in the corner of the room. He respectfully averted his eyes, and Sunny quickly got into the water. For a long moment, they sat there in silence, until Sunny mustered up the courage to ask, "May I ask you something?"

"I see no harm in that, so sure."

She hesitated for a moment, before finally getting out, "Why am I really here?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's pretty obvious I'm not here just so you can take care of me. I want the truth."

"Well, obviously I wasn't lying when I said you were hurt, but the real reason you're here is…well, let's just say you're a part of some research I'm doing."

Chills ran down Sunny's spine when he said this, and she asked quietly, "You're going to kill me…aren't you?"

"Now what makes you think that?" he asked innocently. She remained silent. "Maybe I will…and maybe I won't. You won't know until the time is right. I assure you, though, that until I do need you for my research, I won't do a single thing to harm you."

Sunny was still leery of how honest he was being, but once again got this feeling deep down that he spoke the truth. Looking over, she stared at him for a moment. He was actually a very handsome man. His dark hair had a soft look to it, and fell down to his collar. His complexion was smooth and a golden tan, clearly from hours spent outside. And those eyes…what beautiful, big brown eyes he had. They were soulful, and seemed to hold an endless depth within them. Maybe that was why she didn't feel scared like she knew she should be. He didn't have the appearance of someone scary and intimidating. "Can I ask you something else?" He glanced over at her. "What's your name?"

"You want to know my name?" Hesitantly, she nodded. Considering the fact that she would be dead within a couple days, he saw no harm in telling her. "Since you told me yours, I guess it's only fair, right? It's Stanley."

"…I told you mine?" she asked in a confused voice.

Stanley gave a small smirk. "You didn't hear me calling you by your first name earlier?" he asked in an amused voice.

"Well, of course I did, but I've been wondering the entire time how you knew it."

"Well now you know," he replied simply, and noticed she was rubbing her neck. "Is your neck bothering you?" he asked, and walked over to her when she nodded. "Here, lean forward," he added as he sat down on the edge of the bathtub, and started gently massaging the base of her neck.

This gesture officially stumped Sunny. It seemed like just when she thought she was starting to figure out his motives, he went and did something like this that drug her back into the dark. "You confuse me," she admitted after a moment of silence.

This comment amused Stanley. "And how is that?"

"You chain me up, yet you take care of me. That makes no sense whatsoever."

"Would you rather I treat you like some animal?"

"No, of course not. I just don't get it, that's all. I don't get what is going on, and it's starting to frustrate me."

"Look, I'll make it clear that I'm not letting you go. That is final, and that is why I keep you chained, to make sure it stays that way. Now I'm being nice, here, in trying to keep you comfortable while you heal up from your accident, but I can easily change my mind, which I don't think you want. So don't question it, and just be glad I'm willing to do this for you," he replied as his hands moved down to her shoulders. She reluctantly let it go, and remained silent as he continued to massage away the soreness in her neck and shoulders. Once he finished, he held up her robe and added, "Time to go back."

Sunny took the garment from him, and tightly wrapped it around herself. Stanley once again blindfolded her, and led her back to her room. Once he removed the blindfold and put the shackle back on her ankle, he was about to walk back out of the room, when she suddenly stopped him. He turned back around to face her, and she hesitated before hugging him around the waist and taking him completely by surprise. "Thank you for taking care of me," she whispered, and gave him a light squeeze before letting go.

Baffled by this, Stanley simply said, "I'll have your clothes done here soon," and walked back out of the room. Once he was on the other side of the door and out of her view, he let out a shaky sigh and ran a hand through his hair. What just happened? He wasn't used to having a girl there who was so willing to go along with whatever he said, and showed complete trust in him. Plus, the fact that she not once showed an ounce of anger toward him amazed him. All the others had made their hate and frustration toward him very known, but he got the feeling she felt neither of these. He no longer knew what to think of this young girl. He tried to tell himself she was no different, but he just couldn't fool himself anymore. She was completely different from the others. _"It will just make her placement in the garden that much more special," _he told himself, and gave a slight smirk at this. Yes, she would be special indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

It ended up being a week before Stanley even began to think about his plans to get Sunny into the lake. Normally he only held onto them for a couple days, but he wanted to make sure her forehead had healed up completely, that way she would be preserved in all her perfection. By the time the night finally came that he would add her to his precious garden, Stanley's anticipation was at an ultimate high. He could not wait to get her out in the water with the other girls…

Sunny glanced up at the door when she heard it being opened, and saw it was Stanley. "Good evening, Sunny." She simply gave a small smile in return. "You know, you have been exceptionally good the entire time you've been here. I'm impressed by that. So impressed, that I'm willing to do you a little favor. How would you like to get out of here?"

She was brought back by this. "You mean…leave the house?"

"Yes. I think you've been here long enough, so I thought I would do the right thing and let you go. How does that sound?"

"I would very much appreciate that."

"Good. I need you do something in return for me, though. I would like for you to put on this outfit, so that people won't get any negative ideas in seeing you in the same outfit you came here in. After all, I kept my promise in taking care of you, did I not?"

Sunny nodded. "I'll wear the outfit," she replied, and took the plastic bag from him when he held it out to her.

"Good. Also, just for my own safety, I will need to blindfold you so you won't know where we are, and I need to tie your hands so that you don't try to hurt me in any way. Do we have a deal?" She nodded obediently. "I'll give you a couple minutes to get changed, then," he added, and walked back out of the room. Standing on the other side of the door, he waited patiently until he felt it had been long enough, and walked back in, his breath catching in his throat for a moment when he finally saw her in the dress. It looked better on her than he had imagined. "You look very lovely in that," he commented as he walked over to her.

"Thank you," she replied, unconsciously wrapping her arms around her abdomen.

"Is it too tight?"

"No, I'm just not used to dresses, that's all," she admitted sheepishly.

Stanley smirked at this. "Hold your hands out for me," he said, and tied them tightly together when she did as he asked. Once he did that, he then placed the blindfold over her eyes, before finally undoing her shackle. "Ready?" She nodded, and he placed an arm firmly around her waist as he led her along. He could feel how skittish she was, and said reassuringly, "Don't worry, I've got a hold of you. You're doing well, just do as I tell you." She nodded, and followed his instructions closely as he led her out of the house and down to the dock.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked once they were outside.

"You'll see here pretty soon. I want to keep it a secret," he replied as they got to the dock, and led her down to where his boat was. Once they were actually out on the water, Stanley's heart began to beat wildly with anticipation. This was the moment he had dreamt of for days now, and the fact that it was merely minutes away from becoming a reality was just too good to be true.

When she realized that he had brought her out onto the water, Sunny grew confused. What were his plans? Was he really going to let her go? Just then, the boat came to a halt. She heard him turn off the motor, and walk over to where she was sitting. She grew even more confused when she felt him tighten something around her feet. How did expect her to walk?

"We're here, Sunny. We're at the spot where I'm going to let you go. Would you like to see where we are?" he asked her. She nodded, and he finally removed the blindfold.

She blinked a couple times before looking around, and frowned when she saw they were in the middle of the lake. She looked up at him, and asked, "What are we doing out here?"

Grasping her by the arms, he lifted her up to where she was standing, and had her walk over to the edge. "I told you that you were a part of my research, and I meant that."

"But how does this relate to your research?"

"Because my research is drowning young girls," he explained. Sunny's stomach dropped when she finally understood. He was going to kill her. This was it – she was merely seconds away from death. And to be honest…she was okay with it. She had a family who had never truly loved or accepted her, and she had no way of moving away to pursue her life goals. Her life was a dead end. Really, he would be doing her a favor. "I want you to know that you are my most special girl," he commented, and softly kissed her forehead. "You'll make the most perfect centerpiece for my garden." Remaining silent, she simply looked up at him, her eyes big and full of sadness. Even now, she showed no sign of fear, or even anger, and this frustrated him. "Aren't you scared?" he inquired, and she nodded. "Then why don't you show it?" he added through gritted teeth.

"Because no matter what I say or do, It won't change your mind. Besides, I have no reason to cry, or beg for my life. It's not like I have anything worth living for." Looking down, she added in a voice barely a whisper, "Go ahead…I won't fight you."

Stanley hesitated a moment, wanting to push her in, but unable to do so. He heard her sniff, and when he saw a lone tear fall from her eye, something inside him changed completely. She was so innocent, and undeserving of what he was about to do to her. Not once had she fought him, or spoken harshly to him, or done anything that was worthy for her to have her life ended like this. "I…I can't…I can't do it," he whispered, and loosened his grip on her arms. "I can't do it," he repeated, and reached in his pocket to get out his pocket knife. He then cut the binds on her hands and untied the rope around her ankles. She looked up at him with wide eyes, and caught him off guard when she flung herself against him and hugged him tightly around the waist. Stanley just stood there for a moment, brought back by this, before finally returning the embrace, closing his eyes as he held her tightly to him. She was so small…so fragile. He loved the way she felt in his arms, and indulged in this for a moment before finally letting go. "Let's head back," he said, and tossed the unused cement block into the dark waters.

"Do you want me to put the blindfold back on?" she asked.

"That won't be necessary," he replied, and started up the boat. Sunny held onto the side of the boat for support as he sped across the water. Normally, she loved boats and being out on the water, but there was something about the night time that made it frighten her. Luckily, it didn't take long for them to reach the dock, and be back on dry land.

"What are you going to do with me now?" she asked quietly as they neared his cabin.

"I don't know yet," he replied as he led her up the stairs to his porch and into the house. He brought her back into the room where she had been the entire time, and added as he led her into it, "Until I figure out what exactly I am going to do, this is where you will stay once again."

Before she had the chance to say anything, he was already gone. She had not been scared before, but now she was beginning to worry. He had seemed angry, and she feared how he might possibly let out his frustrations.


	3. Chapter 3

For the next week, Stanley thought nonstop about this whole situation. How could he have backed down like that? His plan had gone exactly how he wanted it to. He had her right where he wanted her…and at the last minute went back on his entire plan. Why? HOW? How could he have let her go like that? He struggled to figure this out, until it finally hit him as to why he could not drown her: he had feelings for this young woman. These feelings went as far as to make him no longer desire keeping up his underwater garden. She was now the only thing he wanted to tend to, take care of, and give his full attention to.

By the time Stanley finally went to check on Sunny, it had been well over a week since she had ate or bathed. He had been so consumed in his own thoughts that he never once stopped to consider checking up on her. Guilt filled him when he saw how frail and fatigued she looked, lying there on the mattress. She wearily looked over at him, and said in a weak voice, "I was wondering when, or if I would see you again."

"Here, let's get you in the bathtub. I'm sure a long, hot bath will make you feel much better," he said as he helped her stand up. Noticing how weak she was, he resorted to simply carrying her to the bathroom. "I know you're hungry, so while you're in here I'll make you something to eat," he added once she was situated, and touched her shoulder before heading into the kitchen.

As she thoroughly washed herself and indulged in how good the warm water felt, she thought about how different Stanley had been. He had been caring from the start, but now he seemed more open and genuine about it. The way he treated her made her feel like nothing could hurt her as long as he was around, which she knew was rather ironic, considering the original reason he had kept her there was so he could drown her.

Once she had finished her bath and put on the robe he had laid out for her, she wandered through the house, until she found him in the kitchen, the wonderful smells from the food he was cooking making her stomach growl. Stanley looked up when he heard this, and asked, "Feel better?"

She nodded. "Yes, much," she said, and hesitantly walked further into the room as she added, "Would you like some help?"

He looked up at her. "Yeah, sure. Come on over," he replied, and she sat on the barstool on the opposite side of the counter. As she did so, Stanley for a brief moment caught a flash of her cleavage, and was suddenly very much aware of the fact that she was completely nude beneath the robe she had on. "You know, I just realized I never washed your clothes. If you'll continue to cut these, I'll go put that in the washer real quick," he commented, and pushed the cutting board toward her before walking out of the room. He desperately needed to get his thoughts and emotions under control, and after a long moment managed to regain control of himself. When he walked back into the kitchen, Sunny was working diligently. Leaving her to finish that, he simply moved on to another task. For a long moment, they worked in silence, until Stanley broke this by saying, "I, uh…I want to apologize for not taking care of you this past week like I should have. I was just very wrapped up in thoughts and other things. It was a terrible thing for me to do, and I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you," she reassured him and gave a small smile. Sunny hesitated for a moment, before adding, "May I ask what had you so preoccupied?"

He remained silent as he took the cut up vegetables from her, added them in with the rest of the ingredients, and placed the dish he had created in the oven. Facing her, he asked, "You want the truth?" She nodded. Rubbing his neck, he admitted, "I was trying to figure out why I didn't go through with my plan the other night. Everything had gone exactly like I wanted it to, but at the last second I backed out, and ever since then I've been beating my brains out trying to reach a conclusion."

"And have you reached that conclusion?" she asked quietly.

He paused a moment, before replying, "Yes, I did finally figure it out. I … I just couldn't do it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn't want to do that to you. You…you've changed me, Sunny. I can't explain it, but you've completely turned me around. I've never cared for someone like I care for you…which is why I'm going to let you go." Sunny was brought back by this. Looking down, he added with a murmur, "I couldn't force you to stay here with a monster like me even if I wanted to."

Slowly, she walked around the counter to stand by him. "But, what if…what if you didn't have to force me to stay here? What if I stayed because I wanted to?"

Stanley looked over at her. "You don't know what you're saying, Sunny."

"Yes, I do, Stanley. Look, you don't know what kind of life I've had. Believe it or not, you've treated me better than my own family has. If you want me to leave, fine, just say so. But don't stand there and tell me I don't know what I'm saying, because I know what I want, and that is to be here with you."

Once again, he looked down. "If you knew my past, you wouldn't be saying this."

"I don't care about your past. I can take a wild guess, though, at what your past is like, considering what you told me, but if you really have changed then I won't hold your past against you."

He looked back over at her once more. "Why me? I'm no good for you, and I don't deserve one bit of the kindness you have shown me."

"Because I think deep down you are in fact a good person, and that you haven't been a fair chance by others." When he didn't say anything, she added, "Okay, fine, I can take a hint. I'll just go, then."

She went to walk away, when he suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her tightly to him. She looked up at him with wide eyes, her heart beating wildly and her breathing shallow as she gazed up into his brown eyes. His presence was overpowering. "I don't want you to go," he said softly, their faces so close that she could feel his breath as he spoke. Slowly, their faces grew closer, and he added with a whisper as his hand slid up to cup the back of her neck, "Please stay."

Sunny's insides trembled at being so close to him. As his lips grew dangerously close to hers, she momentarily lost the ability to breathe, and at the last second quickly turned her head to kiss his smooth cheek. "I'll stay," she whispered back, and pressed her face in his neck. Stanley closed his eyes and held her to him, not knowing what these new and unusual emotions were that he was experiencing, but at the same time not wanting it to leave.

Just then, her stomach growled loudly, and he couldn't help but to smirk. "This should be done soon," he commented, his grin widening when she peeked up at him. He loved how adorable she was. Once the food was done, Stanley left to work on his writing while she ate. Once she had finished, she put the remaining food away, and washed the dishes before searching for where he had gone off to. She finally found his study, and him sitting in front of his computer, staring at the screen.

"What are you working on?" she asked as she walked over to him.

He glanced over at her. "A project I've been working on for quite some time now," he informed her, looking back at the screen. "I'm considering giving up on this one, though," he commented, and was silent for a moment before adding, "I'm no longer proud of what I've done to create this."

It took her a moment, but she finally understood what he meant. "Is this what you were doing your 'research' for?" she asked quietly. Not looking at her, he simply nodded. "Regardless of how you got the inspiration for it, you still put a lot of work and effort into this, I'm sure."

"But in order to complete it as I had imagined it…I would have to kill you. Not literally, of course. We've established that I can't do that. I know it may sound odd, but, I can't even do that in my writing," he admitted.

Sunny touched his shoulder. "Just do what you think is best. No one can make that decision but you," she replied, and gave a gentle squeeze before pulling her hand away. She hesitated for a moment, before asking, "May I read what you have written so far?" When he did not say anything, she adding quietly, "If you don't want me to, I'll understand."

Stanley simply sat there, staring down at the keyboard as he contemplated in his mind whether or not he should let her read this work of horror he had not only thought up in his mind, but also managed to turn into a reality. Finally, he replied, "A part of me is saying I shouldn't, but I think it would be for the best if you did in fact read it." Looking up at her, he added, "What you are about to read is the real me, Sunny. You're going to read things you will not like, and your opinion of me more than likely will change. But, I think in order for you to really know me, it is what must be done."

She simply nodded, and he stood up to let her sit in front of the computer. Once she was seated, Sunny took a deep breath before proceeding to read the script Stanley had created. Disbelief filled her as she read each graphic account of what he had done to his previous victims. This did not seem like the man she had come to know. Once she had finally read through all of it, she commented quietly, "I don't know what to say to this." Looking up at him, she added, "It's wonderful, Stanley. It truly is a beautiful masterpiece, but…knowing this actually happened…I just find it very unsettling."

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Stanley turned his back to Sunny and commented, "I'm sure I just ruined everything in having you read this. I knew you would want to leave once you read that."

Standing up, she walked over to him and placed a hand on his arm. "Would you care to tell me when I said I'm leaving?"

Looking down at the ground, he kept his back to her as he stated, "Why would you? Why would you want to stay here with a monster like me?"

"Have you once hurt me, or put your hands on me?" He shook his head. "Have you mistreated me in any way?" Again, he shook his head. "That doesn't sound like much of a monster to me."

"But those other girls-"

"Stanley, you have to let that all go. I don't say that to sound insensitive, because it does sadden me to know what you wrote actually happened, but at the same time how do you plan on changing, like you said you would, if you keep hanging onto the past? What's done is done. You can't take that back, but you can better your life." Wrapping her arms around his waist, and pressing her cheek to his back, she added, "Until you tell me to leave, I'm not going anywhere."

He placed a hand over hers, knowing what she said was completely true. The only way he could truly move on and enjoy being with her was if he let his past go, and turn over a new leaf. "You still think you can live here with me after what you read, and what you now know?" he asked as he turned to face her.

"Considering the fact that no one has ever treated me the way you have, and shown so much concern in my well being, I'm pretty sure I still want to stay here with you, yes," she replied, and they shared a smile at this. "I'm pretty tired, so I guess I'll head back into my room," she added, and started to head out of his study.

"Wait!" he called after her. Sunny stopped and looked back at him. "You…you don't have to stay in there, if you don't want to. I have a spare bedroom, which I'm sure would be more comfortable."

She gave a small smile. "That would be nice," she replied, and he led her through the house to his guest bedroom.

"Would you like something to sleep in? I could lend you something of mine. I know it'll more than likely be a bit big on you, but I figured it would be better than the options you currently have."

"No, that would be great," she said, and he left the room to grab one of his old shirts, and a pair of shorts he thought she might be able to wear.

"If the shorts are too big, I apologize," he commented as he handed her the clothes.

She gave a slight giggle. "It's fine, thank you. I appreciate it," she said with a smile, and kissed his cheek before saying, "Goodnight Stanley."

"Goodnight Sunny," he replied, and walked out of the room to give her some privacy. About an hour later, as he was getting ready to head to bed as well, Stanley peeked into the room to check on her. He couldn't help to smile when he saw she was fast asleep, and noted to himself how angelic she looked when she slept. Yes…he was beginning to think more and more that he had made the right decision.


	4. Chapter 4

"Can I ask you something, Stanley?" Boone asked Stanley, the two of them making a light conversation as Stanley fueled up his van.

"Sure, Boone. Ask away."

"Did something happen to you recently?"

Stanley frowned at this. "What do you mean?"

Boone gave a slight shrug. "Well, you're a hell of a lot more cheerful. You never seem to be without a smile, and…I don't know, you just seem so _different_. In a good way, of course. What's gotten into you lately? You holding back on some good news or something, buddy?"

"_I think you mean _who _has gotten to me lately," _Stanley thought coyly to himself. For two months now, Sunny had willingly stayed there with him as she said she would, and being around her had turned him into a completely different person. He was no longer consumed by the comments other said when it came to his work, or the guilt of his past actions. All that mattered to him was the praise Sunny gave him anytime he let her read a snippet of his project and the warmth she showed him, and it actually enhanced the quality of his writing. He was for once genuinely happy, and had her to thank. "Nothing, really. Things just seem to be looking up for once. I couldn't ask for life to go any better."

Boone smiled at this. "I'm glad to hear it, Stan," he replied, and patted Stanley on the shoulder before giving his leave.

Once Stanley had paid for his gas, he drove back home and quickly headed inside. "Sunny?" he called out as he removed the light jacket he had been wearing and hung it up.

A few seconds later Sunny walked out from the other room, and smiled brightly at him as she walked over to him. He never grew tired of having that beautiful smile aimed at him. "I thought I heard you pull up," she commented as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek and warmly hug him.

"Yep, it was me," he replied as returned the hug tightly, and noticed once he pulled away she had paint smudges on her face, arms and shirt. "I assume you've been working on your painting?" he asked, giving a slight tug on her shirtsleeve.

"Yeah, I got this sudden burst earlier, so I had to get the idea down before I lost it."

"May I see it?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't like me reading your writing before you have it completed, yet you can see my work before it's done? That seems rather hypocritical."

Stanley couldn't help but to grin at this. "Fair enough. I'll just wait like I always do, then," he replied simply.

Sunny rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, you. You can see it, I don't mind," she said, and took his hand in hers as she led him into the room where she had her canvas set up.

Like always, Stanley was brought back by the beauty of her work. "Sunny, this is incredible," he commented as he took in the image she had created.

"You think so?"

"Of course! You should know I would never say it if I didn't mean it," he reassured her, and smiled down at her.

She smiled back, and asked, "Are you hungry?"

His stomach suddenly growled loudly, and they both laughed. "Maybe a little," he chuckled.

"Why don't you go sit down and relax for a little bit while I make us something to eat? I'm sure you are probably worn out from all that running around town you had to do," she suggested.

"I can help you-"

"No, no, I insist. Now go," she replied, and gave him a gentle push toward the living room. Stanley obliged, and headed into the other room to watch a little bit of television.

Once Sunny had finished making a dinner of chili and cornbread, she headed into the living room to call Stanley to dinner, and smirked when she saw he was sprawled out on the couch, sound asleep. Walking over to him, she sat down on the edge of the couch, and simply watched him for a moment as he slept. It amazed her at how one moment he could look so precious and innocent, and the next have a dangerous sexiness about him. She hesitated for a moment, before reaching up to run her fingers through his thick locks, his hair soft like satin. She could sit there and play with his hair all night if he let her. Just then, he stirred, and slowly opened his eyes. "Did I fall asleep?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes and trying to wake himself up.

She smiled at this. "Apparently so. Would you rather just go to bed? I can put what I made in the refrigerator, and reheat it later if you need to get some sleep."

"No, that was actually all I needed. Besides, if I sleep any longer I won't be able to sleep tonight," he replied, and suddenly noticed she was still toying with his hair. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked teasingly, and saw the blush that came to her cheeks.

"You have such beautiful hair," she commented as she twirled a strand of his hair around her finger. "Really, I could do this for hours if you let me," she added with a small giggle.

He grinned at this. "I've never had someone obsess over my hair like that. You are the first to tell me that, to be honest," he admitted.

"Well the same can be said about you, really."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, please. The times we've sat and watched TV together, did you really think I wouldn't notice you toying with my hair?"

He grinned sheepishly at this. "It's something I do without thinking, really. I'll stop, if it bothers you."

"Oh, don't be absurd," she replied as she stood up, and helped him up as well. "I actually really like it. Then again, I've always loved having my hair played with."

"I'll have to keep that in mind for future references, then," he said with a smirk, and kissed her forehead. "Let's go eat. That food smells wonderful, and I am famished," he added, and they headed into the kitchen to eat.

Once they had finished eating and cleaned everything up, the two of them headed down to the dock to watch the sun set. For a long moment they just stood there, taking in the beautiful scenery, and enjoying each other's presence, when Sunny broke the silence by saying, "Stanley…I don't mean to be a buzz kill, but can I ask you something?"

"You know you can, Sunny."

"Are you sure you won't be upset?"

Stanley looked down at her. "I don't think it's possible for me to ever be upset at someone as kind as you," he commented, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

She gave a slight blush at this. "Well…I was just wondering what made you do what you did."

He turned slightly to better face her. "You mean with you and the other girls?"

She nodded. "The reason I ask is, I don't know, I still find it odd how well you took care of me when you clearly had plans to drown me."

"I told you before my intentions were not to torture you. I was mainly focused on getting you out in the waters. My research and writing was about that moment, not the time you spent in that backroom."

She hesitated for a moment, before asking in a quiet voice, "Do you still have the urge to…you know…'continue your research'?"

Stanley fully faced her. "Is that something you worry about?" he asked. She didn't say anything, but the blush that came to her face said enough. He suddenly grabbed her by the arms and pushed her back to where she was bent backwards and hovering over the water. He had meant for it to be a playful action, but from the look of terror that filled her eyes, he could see to her it was far from a joke. "Sunny, I'm only kidding. You know you can trust me," he said as he pulled her back up to a standing position. Still, there was a look of doubt in her eyes, which broke his heart. The last thing he wanted was for her to fear him. "I would never do anything to hurt you. Please believe me when I tell you that," he added soothingly as he ran a hand through her hair.

As Sunny looked up into his brown eyes, she suddenly saw something within them that until now she had never before noticed. There was no denying that, at that moment, his eyes shone with love. It was this that allowed her to put her full trust in him. "Kiss me, Stanley," she whispered without thinking, her hands going to his waist and grasping his shirt.

His gaze went down to her parted lips, his heart thudding heavily as he did so. Doing as she asked, he took her face in his hands he softly pressed his lips to hers. She immediately melted into him, and tightened her hold on his waist as the kiss quickly grew heated. Once they finally pulled away breathlessly, he went back in for one more passionate kiss before lifting her up into his arms and carrying her back up to the cabin.


	5. Chapter 5

It was just past four the following morning when Sunny woke up, and she immediately noticed Stanley was not there. His scent lingered strongly on the sheets, but the space next to her was cold, which told her that he had been gone for a while. Sliding out of bed, she searched for him throughout the house. Finally, she managed to find him sitting out on the porch swing, staring out over the lake. She silently slipped out the door, and made her presence known to him by softly tousling his still disheveled hair. "You should be sleeping," he commented.

"I'm an early riser," she replied simply, and sat down by him on the swing. As soon as she saw his facial expression, she asked, "What's the matter?"

"I fucked up, Sunny."

"What do you mean? What is going on?"

He let out a weary sigh. "I had hoped this was something I could avoid having to tell you, but by this point I don't think that is possible." She frowned in confusion, and he added, "They found my garden the other day."

She thought for a moment, trying to figure out what he meant, when it finally clicked. "Someone found those girls?" He nodded. "Stanley, you told me you were through with messing with that stuff."

"I am, I promise. I wasn't lying about that. I just…never got around to doing anything with them, that's all," he explained.

"You mean you just left those bodies out there?"

Reluctantly, he nodded. "It was foolish, I know. Believe me, I am wishing I had not done so right about now."

"Well have you heard anymore on it?"

He looked over at her, and from the look in his eyes, she feared what he had to say. "I just heard on the radio they found my DNA on them, and have me as the main suspect." He remained silent for a moment, before adding quietly, "Sunny…they're coming for me."

Tears came to her eyes when he said this. "No…I can't lose you, Stanley. I just can't. You're all I have now," she whimpered, his heart breaking when he saw how much this upset her.

Pulling her protectively into his arms, he replied, "I don't want to lose you either, Sunny. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, but I think the best thing is for you to leave as soon as possible. The last thing I would want is for them to think you had any part of this."

"But Stanley-" Sunny started to protest, when the sound of distant motors caught her ear. "What was that?" she asked.

He listened as well, and immediately noticed the sound of vehicles getting louder as they grew closer. "Quick, get inside," he said, and dragged her into the cabin. "Sunny, whatever happens, I want you to stay inside here, okay? And if for some reason they come in here, just tell them you were one of my victims. I doubt it would take much for them to believe it at this point," he instructed her, cupping her face in his hands as he said this.

"But what if they try to hurt you? Or worse yet?"

"It does not matter. Promise me you will stay in here, okay?" When she did not say anything, he added in a stern voice, "Promise me, Sunny."

Reluctantly, she nodded. "I promise," she whispered, right as a large truck flew into the driveway.

He pulled her away from the window when they heard loud voices and approaching footsteps, and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I won't let them hurt you, okay?" She nodded, and he kissed her passionately right as a loud knocking started on the front door.

He gazed down at her longingly for a moment as he softly ran his fingers through her hair, before reluctantly pulling away, and walking out to face the men standing on his porch. Sunny hesitantly walked over to the window, not wanting to be seen, and listened as the men yelled and shouted at Stanley. She could not make out the words, but knew exactly what it was about. Stanley remained remarkably calm throughout it all, and simply took the verbal beating they gave him. When he did finally say something, though, they all grew even more enraged, and she covered her mouth with her hands when they suddenly lunged for him. Sunny watched in horror as they beat Stanley senseless, until he could no longer stand on his own two feet. Even then they took turns holding him up as the other beat him, until they were satisfied, and tossed him to the floor of the deck. Tears came to her eyes when he looked back her way, wanting so badly to go help him but knowing she could do nothing. Sunny held her breath when she saw one of the men reach into his pocket, and her heart stopped when she saw him pull out a gun and aim it at Stanley's chest. Unable to stand there and do nothing, she rushed out the door, and yelled out, "No, don't hurt him!"

"Sunny, no!" Stanley shouted, but it was too late. The man at the last second raised the gun to where it was aimed at Sunny, and pulled the trigger. She fell to the ground in a heap, already beginning to lose consciousness as blood poured from the wound in her chest.

"Man, what the fuck did you do?" one of the other guys demanded, and shoved the man holding the gun. "Why the fuck did you shoot HER?"

"She took me by surprise…it…it was an accident…" he stammered, shock on his face as he looked down at Sunny.

Stanley struggled to pull himself over to Sunny, his eyes burning with emotion as tears threaten to fall. "Sunny, can you hear me?" he asked as he gently rolled her onto her back, and brushed her hair back from her face. She was already a sickly color, and he could not feel her breathing, but she eventually managed to open her eyes. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I let you down. I told you I wouldn't let you get hurt, and I failed to keep that one promise. Please forgive me."

Reaching up, she lightly touched his cheek, and said in a voice barely over a whisper, "I love you, Stanley."

Hearing her say this made his tears fall freely. "I love you too, Sunny," he whispered back, and gave her one last passionate kiss. Once he pulled away, she blinked once, before a glassy, vacant look came to her eyes, revealing she was gone for good. Not caring that there were people around him, Stanley cried openly and freely, not because of the pain that was coursing throughout his body, but because of the pain he felt in his heart. She was the only thing that gave his life meaning, and because of him, she was forced to die an unnecessary death. "Just finish what you started," he said through his tears to the men that were still standing there, watching him. "I deserve this. I deserve all of this after what I've done in my lifetime."

"Just do it, man. Finish him off," one of the guys said to the man holding the gun. He once again aimed it at Stanley, and pulled the trigger, hitting him in the back and puncturing his heart.

Stanley fell forward, his vision automatically fading in and out as he struggled stay with reality. Not wanting to stick around, the men rushed back to their trucks, and quickly drove off. Stanley looked back up at Sunny, and pulled himself up to where he was level with her, crying out as white-hot pain seared him with every move he made. Touching her cheek, he kissed her forehead before collapsing on the ground by her. With his cheek pressed to the ground, and his arm draped across her, he stared at Sunny, studying every last little thing about her, until everything went black right as he heard the sound of approaching sirens.

**THE END**


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